Kiosk Treasure Cruddy

What book are you reading right now?

You know those little Kiosks with books. I find some absolute treasures raiding the curbside houses of my neighbors.

I have to admit I picked up the book because of its cover. I wanted to paint the cover because of its unusual use of color.

Surprise

This is one of the wilder plot driven books I have read. It is not my genre, yet it was was so odd and original I had to stay with it. I am glad I did. This was a fantastic book

Summary

The novel is structured around the fragmented and vivid memories of the protagonist, Roberta, who lives a bleak existence in a “cruddy top bedroom”. The central narrative unfolds after a simple human connection at school breaks her self-imposed isolation and triggers a series of traumatic recollections. These stories detail a grim cross-America journey she took with her father, which was fueled by a desire for revenge and greed. The plot is a “murder fiesta,” featuring numerous violent incidents, an array of unsettling characters (including the owners of a “Knocking Hammer Bar-cum-slaughterhouse”), and other runaway adolescents. The book is noted for its ability to make horrifying scenes seem hilarious, balancing the psychological horror of child abuse and violence with a teenager’s eye for “freakish detail”. 

What Goes Around

I think I’ll drop a note in the book and link to this review. It would be interesting to get another perspective.